Vegan Chili
- Total time
- 1 hour 5 minutes
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 20 g
- Serves
- 6 (about 2 cups/475 g)
This vegan chili builds a thick, spoonable pot from three beans, red lentils, tomatoes, peppers, and smoky spices. It needs one gentle simmer to soften the lentils and concentrate the broth, then keeps well for planned meals or a cold-weather dinner.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 20 g
- Carbs
- 74 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fiber
- 19 g
Estimated from the listed ingredients.
- Prep
- 20 minutes
- Cook
- 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion (about 8 oz/225 g), diced
- 1 red bell pepper (about 5 oz/150 g), diced
- 1 green bell pepper (about 5 oz/150 g), diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, to taste
- 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 2 (28-oz/794-g) cans crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups vegetable broth (480 ml)
- 3/4 cup dry red lentils (about 5 oz/145 g), rinsed
- 1 (15-oz/425-g) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-oz/425-g) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-oz/425-g) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- Chopped cilantro, avocado, or dairy-free yogurt, optional, for serving
Before you start
- Use dry red lentils, not cooked lentils; they thicken the chili as they soften. Brown or green lentils need longer and will leave a different texture.
- Check chili powder and broth labels for declared allergens. Toppings are outside the nutrition estimate and can change allergens and serving calories.
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook the onion and peppers with a pinch of salt for 7 to 8 minutes, until softened. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, cayenne, and the remaining salt; stir for 30 seconds.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, broth, lentils, beans, and cocoa powder. Bring to a gentle boil, then lower heat so the chili bubbles slowly rather than splattering.
- Simmer uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring every 8 to 10 minutes and scraping the bottom. The chili is ready when the lentils are tender and the spoon leaves a brief trail through the pot. If it thickens before the lentils are tender, add broth 1/4 cup (60 ml) at a time.
- Stir in lime juice. Taste and adjust salt or cayenne. For a thicker texture, crush a scoop of beans against the side of the pot and stir them back in; for a looser chili, add a little broth.
- Rest 5 minutes before serving so the lentils finish absorbing liquid. Add optional toppings at the table.
Meal prep, storage, and reheating
Cool the pot promptly, then refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat over medium-low heat with a splash of broth, stirring until steaming hot. Freeze cooled chili in portions for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator or reheat gently from frozen in a covered saucepan. The chili will thicken as it sits, so add broth rather than extra tomato sauce when reheating.